Perforator



W. S. JONES PERFORATOR July 19, 1932.

Filed Sept. 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @V y my @2W A TTORNE Y July 19, 1932.

W. S. JON ES PERFORATOR Filed Sept. 19, 1930 ZSheets-Sheen 2 6 /Zgg .Il A o y e 'iai l @13 f j/f A TTORNEY Patented July 19, i932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINEIELDSCOTT JONES, OE LONG BEACH, CALIEOENA, AssrrNon, EY DIRECT AND MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, rro JONEs-NrUNN TOOL Co., LTD., A CORPORATION OE CALI- FORNIA PERFORATOR Application med september 19, 1930. semi No; 482,921.

This invention relates to perforators, and has for an obj ect the provision of a perforator so formed and constructed as to allow the same to perfor-ate pipe, tubing, casing, or the Il` like, at any Zone thereof desired.

Another object is the provision of a perforator which will perform a perforating operation in a satisfactory manner and in tubing, casing, or pipe which is crooked.

Another object is the provision of a perforator which may be fitted within tubing, casing, or pipe, and which is so constructed as to readily perforate several thicknesses of ipe.

P The casing within a well hole often deviates from a true vertical and it is sometimes difficult to properly perforate casing of this character with the ordinary form of perforator. The present invention is so constructed as to allow perforation of the casing even if a sharp curve is encountered and to perforate either on said curve, below or above the curve.

Another object is the provision of a perforator which may be readily removed from the casing after a perforating operation.

Another object is the provision of a perforator having few parts, which is lsimple of manufacture, inexpensive, and generally superior to the Ordinary type of casing perforator.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists'in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association, and relative arrangement of parts, members, and features, all as shown in a certain embodiment in the accompanying drawings,

described generally, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Tn the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of casing which is out of plumb, with the improved perforator within said casing,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the perforator,

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6- arc cross sectional views on the lines 3-3, 4 4, 5-5, and 6-6 of Figure 2,

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the improved perforator on an enlarged scale from Figures l and 2,

Figure 8 is a lfurther sectional view of the perforator showing movement of certain parts thereof, and,

Figure 9 isa cross sectionaliview of afurther portion of the perforator in the act of. Y

cutting casing.

Referring-with particularity to the drawings, the improved perforator" as an entirety is designated by A, and the' same includes a body a, a knife b, Carried bythe body,an

upper mandrel c associated with the knife, a

slip head d, slips e for the slip head, friction means f and g, and means' h adapted to control the means f and g to in turn cause movement of the slips e to anchorl the-device in a gilyen position within casing, tubing, or the li e y'.

The body a is formed with an elongated transverse key slot 1, and thisislot progres'- sively diminishes in transverse dimension from the base 2 of the bodyto the top 3 thereof. In othervwords, as viewed in Figu'r`e2,

the slot is substantially right triangular in appearance. The base is4 likewise transverselyl slotted, as shown at 4, this slotcomymunicating with the slot l.

Adapted for slidable movement within the slot l is the'knife This knife includes a shank portion which is tapered transverse" ly, as shown at 5, and. likewise, when the knife is viewed in elevation, the top vsurface 6 tapersrdownwardly' toward Awhat Vmay be termed the cuttingedge or nose 7 In some respects, .the knife is in the form ofl a frustum of a pyramid. The knife is formed with 'Iol a base 8 which is slidable within the key-slot,

transverse wings 9; Furthermore, this base is elongatedghaving aV greater dimension than the blade of the knife, as shown in Figure 9. This construction' is utilized in order to prevent wobbling of the knife and to give the base suflici'ent purchase against the body when the knife blade is perforating casing. The wing portions of the base of the knife are inclined relative to the part l() of the base, so that the blade of the knife extends straight outwardly, as shown', and further fthe base to this end being provided with :are links 28.

so that during travel of the knife within the key slot of the body, the knife remains at substantially the same position. The knife is inserted adjacent the top of the body, after which va keeper 11 is secured to the body at this zone by any suitable means 12,'so that escapage of the knife from the body a is prevented. vThe body is provided at itsupper end with a tapered pin 13, whereby the same may be secured to tubing 14. f y Y The upper mandrel c constitutes an elongated rod 15, having an odset terminal portion 16 at one end of said rod and a ball-like portion 17 at the opposite end. This offset terminal ,portion is provided with wings or c extensions 18 adapted to be received in the keyhole slot of the body, and with said offset terminal portion adapted to abut against one end of the base 8 of the knife.

The head 'cl is'centrally recessed at 19, this recess being curved at 20 toV receive the ball V17.k A 'lock nut 21 .is screw-threaded to threads 22 of the head, and this lock nut is provided with a tapered central opening 23. Likewise secured to this lock nut is a further screw-threaded nut 24. Thus, when the ball end 17 is within the curved portion 20 of the head, it will be seen that the uppermandrel 15 has a limited transverse swinging movement relative to said head. vThe said head is provided with the usual inclined dovetailedtongues 25, of which there may be one or more, in the present instance three thereof being provided, as shown in Figure 5. Slipsl e are formed with dove-,tailed slots 26, vhich slots receive the dove-tailed tongues. The inclination of the head is such that lupward movement of the slips projects the same outwardly from the head. The base portion `of the head is slotted at 27, and passed ,through said slots and secured to the slips These links are likewise anchored to a ring 29. A lower mandrel is centrally secured to the head d and the ring 29surrounds the same.

Both friction means .C

l l .and g are carried on the lower mandrel.

The friction'means f includes a pair of diametrically disposed bowed leaf springs 31 and 32,'ends of which are secured to upper and lower collars 33 and v34. rlhe friction Ymeans g likewise includes a pairof diametrically disposed bowed leaf springs 35 and 36 secured at both ends by collars 37 and 38. vThe collar 38 vcarries a key .39 adapted to be received in a key-way slotv 40 of said man-Y .drel 30. lThe mandrel is recessed at 41 and received within said recess is a trigger, 7L, said trigger being pivoted at 42to the mandrel. A coil spring 43 normally urges the `trigger in one direction. The lowermost end of the said mandrel 30 is screwthreaded to a cap 44 and whereby the several parts may be held in position-of assemblage on saidmandrel 30. lf desired or necessary, the spring means f may-have one of the other rings or collars keyed to the mandrel 30 in order that the spring means f and g be substantially maintained separated and evenly spaced apart, as shownin Figure 6.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows:

The pin 13 is secured to suitable tubing through the medium of a box, and the said perforator may be lowered withinvthe well casing j (Figure 1) to any desired location. During insertion of the perforator within the casing, thetrigger L engages thetop surface of the ring or collar 34, and this arrangement will, of course, hold the spring mea-ns fin a defined position relative to the lower mandrel. rlhe spring means g will be in the position shown in both Figures 1 and 2, and thus the slips will be maintained in their lowermost position relative to the head d. If we assume that the casing is to be per- Y,

forated at ajcertain point and that this particular point has been reached, the operator stops further downward movement of the ytubing carrying the perforator and reverses the movement by lifting the tubing which will, of course, lift the perforator. Both springs f and g are in frictional engagement with the inner surface of the casing and when upward movement of the perforator'occurs,

the spring means g with its collars remains substantially stationary, sliding relative to the lower mandrel 30 until the lowerinost collar 38 collapses the trigger 7L into the slot 41 of the mandrel. When this occurs,the operator then reverses movement of the tubing but the perforator andthe spring means 7 byk its frictional engagement with the inner surface of the casing, will cause upwarzd movement of the rings 33 and 29 to in turn move the links 28 and force the siips e outwarly into casing engagement, as shown in Figure 8. The perforator body will now move downwardly relative to the upper mandrel @,all parts below the said mandrel being heldY against movement. It is apparent that the perforator body moves relative ,to the mandrel and vthat the said upper mandrel engages the base of the knife o. Hence, the knife will move outwardly from thev keyhslot in said perforator body until the knife enk(i of the said knife will permit the knife to be readily withdrawn from the opening cut thereby 1n the casing.

A device of this character is particularly it adapted for `cutting several thicknesses nof casing and likewise adapted to perform successful perforating operations in casing that is out of plumb, such as shown in Figure 1.

In'this latter respect, the upper mandrel o is allowed limited movement within the head d, and consequently the head may move relative to the said mandiel and the perforator body, with the result that the perforator can negotiate seemingly abrupt curved portions of the casing, if any there be.

lVhen it is desired to lift the perforator from the casing or, for that matter, to perform further perforating operations, upward movement of the tubing carrying the perforator body will cause the upper mandrel c to move toward the base of the perforator body to where the angular extremity engages the shoulder 47. The knife will, of Course, be forced downwardly as the body is raised so that the said knife is positively withdrawn from the opening cut by it in the casing. When the knife and the angular extremity of the upper mandrel have reached their lowermost limit of movement in the said body a, continued upward movement will withdraw the slips e from engagement with the casing, and when it is desired to perforate a further portion of the casing, the operation as aforesaid may be repeated.

It is obvious that the lowermost Zone to be perforated must be the starting point in the use of this device, and that the perforations may be continued in an ascending relation as the construction is such as to not allow the trigger to again engage the top surface of the collar 34 after the trigger has been once collapsed.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications and variations may be madein practicing the invention in departure from the particular showing of the drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l claim:

l. In a casing perforator, an elongated body, a knife mounted for slidable movement within said body to project the same outwardly therefrom, means for positively gripping casing, a mandrel connecting said means and said knife, whereby when said means engages casing, the mandrel will hold the said knife while the body is moved relative to both said mandrel and said knife, and a universal joint connection between said mandrel and said means.

2. In a casing perforator, abody provided with an elongated tapered key slot, a key knife within said slot, a slip head and a mandrel connecting the key knife and slip head, slips for said head, casing engaging friction means for moving said slips relative to the head, a universal joint connecting an end of said mandrel with said means, and whereby when the slips engage an object the head and mandrel are held against movement, to in turn allow movement of the perforator body relative to the mandrel to move the knife outwardly from the body.

3. A perforator for casing, including a body, a knife keyed to said body and adapted to be projected i outwardly from said body when the body is axially moved, means for positively adapted for universal swinging movement, connecting said knife and saidmeans, said mandrel being adapted to hold the knife during movement of the perforator body.

4. ln a perforator for casing, a perforator body formed with an elongated inclined key slot, a knife formed with a key portion within said key slot, a head, slips therefor, and a mandrel connecting said head and said knife; a second mandrel secured to said head, a pair of friction means carried by said second mandrel, a trigger between said second mandrel and one of saidfriotion means for holding said friction means against movement relagripping casing, and a mandrel, j

tive to said mandrel, and the other of said A friction means being adapted for movement upon said second mandrel, and means therefor to release said trigger means to in turn permit movement of the slips of said head, and whereby when said slips engage casing, said iirst mandrel will hold thel said knife while the perforator body is moved relative to the mandrel to project the said knife from the key slot.

5. In a casing perforator, a body provided with a tapered key slot extending substantially the length of said body, a knife mounted for movement within said body to -project the same outwardly therefrom, means for positively gripping casing, an elongatedv bar mandrel connecting said knife and said means, said bar mandrel being movable'within the key slot during movement of the knife therein, the said first means engaging casing, and a ball joint between the bar mandrel and said means, whereby said body and bar mandrel may have universal movement relative to the said means.

6. ln a easing perforator, a body providedl with a tapered key slot extending substantially the length of said body, a knife mounted for movement within said key slot to `project the same outwardly therefrom, means for positively gripping casing, a bar mandrel connecting said knife and said means, and a ball joint between the bar and said means, whereby said body and bar mandrel may have universal movement relative to the gripping means. j V

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at Long Beach, California, this 28th day of August, 1980. 1NINFIELD SCOTT JQNES.V 

